Marin County nursery under scrutiny after death of infant

MARIN COUNTY -- Authorities are investigating the death of a 4-month-old boy who was in the care of a Terra Linda nursery, the coroner's office confirmed Wednesday.

The case began Oct. 23, when the staff at the Magic Place Children Center, one of several preschool programs at 1055 Las Ovejas Ave., called 911 to report an "unresponsive" infant, said sheriff's Lt. Keith Boyd, assistant county coroner. Firefighters took the infant to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The coroner's office and San Rafael police opened an investigation, and an autopsy was performed the next day. Boyd said the cause and manner of death are pending, and he would not comment on whether the baby showed signs of traumatic injuries.

Claudia Gil, owner of the day care center, said the baby was asleep for about three hours and "never woke up."

"That's the worst nightmare," said Gil, her voice trembling, in an interview Wednesday. "You never, ever expect something like that."

Gil said about six children and two adults, including her, were present that day. She said the day care facility has been in operation for eight years.

The state Community Care Licensing Division is also investigating the death, the coroner's office said. The state agency's website lists Magic Place Children Center as a licensed facility with a 24-child capacity.